and something that happened to him and a chewing gum machine.I wonder how many of you have at some time put a penny in a chewing gum machine. You know the kind of machine, with all the coloured balls of gum that you see standing outside or on the counter of a sweetie shop. Well, here is a little story about an American boy called Danny and something that happened to him and a chewing gum machine.
Danny waited by the chewing gum machine while his mother did some shopping. For a long time he looked longingly at the gumballs in the machine. If only he had a penny, he thought, he could get a ball of gum. Suddenly Danny had an idea. He stuck his finger up the slot to see how the gumballs dropped down. To his surprise there was a gumball stuck in the slot. Danny bent his little finger around it. If only he could get it to drop down. He tried and tried, but the gumball stayed in the slot and so did his finger.
In just a few minutes mother came. She tried in vain to get Danny's finger out of the gum ball machine. Before long, the owner of the shop came to offer his help, but nothing seemed to work. "We'll just have to saw the machine in half, " said the owner. This frightened Danny. He had visions of the saw touching his finger. In just a few seconds he pulled his finger easily from the gum ball machine. "How did you get it out?" mother said. "Oh, it was easy!" said Danny. "I just straightened my finger."
On the way home Danny explained that he had his little finger hooked around the gumball, hoping to get it out. He did not want to let go for fear of losing the gumball.
You know, sometimes Christian boys and girls are like that. They play with sin. Those boys and girls who have asked Jesus into their hearts, and yet, who still want to hold on to sin. They try to live for God, and yet, they seem to enjoy sin, as well, and will not let go of it. The Bible tells us to "lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us." Those of you who are true Christians remember this and look to Jesus, asking Him to give you strength and courage each day to live for Him and to hate sin.
